Supreme Court dismisses Child Right Int'l suit against child streetism

The Supreme Court has dismissed a suit brought by NGO, Child Rights International against the state on the phenomenon of child streetism in Ghana.

The NGO started the suit in 2022, seeking to enforce and give meaning to Childrens' right to education, and deal with the threat posed by child streetism.

They had sought for the apex court to declare that the current condition of children living on the streets was inconsistent with the Constitution 1992, and to have the court order the government to put in place penalties for families who exploit children for economic gains, as in the case of children begging. 

However a seven-member panel presided over by the Chief Justice, Gertrude Torkornoo was of the opinion that the plaintiff had failed to properly invoke the court's jurisdiction and therefore dismissed same.

Members of the panel that decided the case include; Pwamang, Baffoe-Bonnie, Lovelace, Owusu, Kulendi and Mensa-Bonsu JJSC